Whip-socket.



V w. B. MoMASTERS.

WHIP SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a, 1908.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

1n: NORRIS PETER; co, wAsnmcrnu, o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WALTER B. MoMASTERS, OF BELLAIRE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO ALBERT C. ROAGH,

OF ATHENS, OHIO.

WHIP-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

T 0 all whom it may com-em:

Be it known that I, lVAL'rnn l3. MoMas TERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellaire, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Whip-Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a whip socket of that type provided with means whereby the whip can be automatically locked in the socket when the owner of the wagon or carriage leaves the latter for any purpose so that the whip cannot be stolen.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable in use and readily manipulated.

Another obj cct of the invention is the provision of a whip socket having a locking member which normally forms a rest on which the lower end of the whip when in the socket bears and which, when it is desired to lock the whip in place, yields downwardly to permit the buttend of the whip to assume a position in which the said member will positively engage the same, the member being released by a suitable key when the whip is to be removed.

With these objects in view and others as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the whip socket. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal sectional views, respectively, on lines 83 and 44, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the key for unlocking the device.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing A designates the body of the whip socket which may be of any approved construction and is formed at its lower end with an enlarged base B that forms a chamber for the locking device. The upper end of the socket has at the usual mouth a rubber or other ring 1 that snugly fits around the whip 0, indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, so that it will be impossible to introduce a wire or other instrument for the purposes of releasing the locking device.

\Vithin the chamber 2 is a plate like looking device D that is provided with eyes 8 through which passes a pintle at on which the said device swings and on the pintle is a torsional coil spring 5 that has one end 6 bearing on the wall of the chamber 2 and the other end 7 bearing under the device D for yieldingly holding the latter in normal position. The lower end of the socket A communicates with the chamber 2 and the device D is adapted to project into the socket a suflicient distance to constitute a rest on which the lower end or butt of the whip C is adapted to rest when not in use and when not required to be locked in place. The device D is held in approximately horizontal position by the spring 5 holding it against an abutment 8 formed by a suitable part of the socket. The free edge of the device or plate D is arcuate as indicated at 9, Fig. 4-, so as to conform more closely to the form of the whip and afford a better grip on the latter. In the upper part of the chamber 2 is a partition 10 that forms a guard directly above the device D and in this partition is an opening 11, Fig. 3, through which the head 12 of the key E, Fig. 5, is adapted to pass for engagement with the device D when the latter is to be unlocked, the key being inserted in the socket through a key hole 18, Fig. 3.

In practice, the locking device D is normally in a position shown in Fig. 2 so that the whip can be placed in the socket and allowed to rest on the said device without becoming locked in position for the purpose of permitting the whip to be readily taken out when it is to be used. In case it is desired to lock the whip in the socket so that it cannot be taken out except by the owner who has a key, sufficient pressure is applied to the whip to cause the device D to swing downwardly so that the whip can pass the free end of the device D until the whip comes to rest on the bottom of the socket. lVhile in this position, the spring 5 will maintain the device D in engagement with the side of the whip and any force applied to the latter in a direction to move it from the socket will cause the relatively sharp edge of the device D to bite into the butt of the whip and prevent the same from being extracted. It will thus be seen that the whip will be automatically locked in place and when it is desired to release the same, the key E is inserted and turned in a direction to engage the device D for the purpose of freeing the whip therefrom. As soon as the whip is removed the key is taken out to permit the device D to assume its normal position and operate as a rest for supporting the lower end of the whip.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I. desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a whip socket, a locking member mounted therein at a point above the bottom, a pintle on which the member swings, a spring acting on the memher to urge the same upwardly, a stop against which the member bears when in position to support a whip in the socket, said member having one end arranged to bite into the whip in the socket while the member is in tilted position, and means for releasing the member to permit the withdrawal of the whip.

2. The combination of a socket having a chambered portion, a swinging member arranged in the chambered portion and adapted to extend into the socket to normally form a rest for a whip, a pintle on which the member swings, a spring yieldingly holding the member in normal position, a guard for preventing access to the member except by a key, and a yielding ring at the mouth of the socket for preventing access to the member when a whip is inserted in the socket, V

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'WALTER B. MOMASTERS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. WVAssMAN, J. F. JOHNSON. 

